Valve for wimd musical instruments



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

C. H. EISENBRANDT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

VALVE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

`Specification of' Letters Patent No. 11,215, dated July 4, 1854.

To all whom t may concern Be it kno-wn that I, C. H. Eisnnnnannr, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented and ma'tle certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Actuating the Valves of Musical Vilind Instruments; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the method of construction and mode of operating the same, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a full view of a valve trumpet showing valves or air chambers l, 2, 3, and the valve actuating devices attached complete to one valve No. 2, partly to another, No. 3, and'No. l, showing interior of valve chamber, with part of the ordinary kind of watch spring g entwining the valve axis 11. Fig. 2 shows side View of the valve a, a, with its pivot axis b, b, c, and section of valve or air chamber j'. Fig. 3 is the collar. Fig. 4 is the cap e, with the pivot axis adjusting screw 6l. Fig. 5 is the tightening screw 7L.

To enable others to be skilled in the use and application of my invention and improvements, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation thereof, the nature and principles of which I will endeavor to explain.

Ever since the invention and use of valve wind musical instruments, it has been well known that imperfections have always been presented in the action of the valves and the producing of perfectly modulated tones, trills and shakes, attended with much difficulty, requiring immense practice, to arrive at even a tolerablecompleteness or degree of execution and certainty of tone, from the fact that with the ordinary piston, spiral, barrel or main spring, and the lever or key valve, the desired effect has never been accomplished, and continued experiments for years have been made, in foreign countries as well as in America, to attain the great desideratum; and the ingenuity of practical scientific, ingenious, individuals and professors of music and performers on the various wind instruments has been exercised for the purpose so desired; yet nothing satisfactory has been accomplished until by a series of experiments I have been enabled to produce a mode of actuating the valves of brass wind instruments, which has induced me to believe that vI have attained the object long sought.

The defects in constructing and operating valves hereto-fore used have been of the following character: In the piston valve, helical or spiral springs of metal or elastic material being used, much friction and inequality of action ensues, from the fact that the moisture produced by the breath, in its passage through the tubes of the instrument, tends to rust the springs, and likewise the springs are liable to be affected by the atmospheric action and consequently are subject to expansion and contraction. Therefore the use of such devices is attended with objections. These results also attend the use of such devices as main springs or barrel springs. Therefore the action of such devices must vary in proportion to the atmospheric cause affecting. Again, it is found, when the main or watch spring and spiral springs are used, that t-he action of the valves is not equal or the motion direct or parallel with a certain required point; but on the contrary irregular and in an oblique direction, no matter how accurately the springs may be adjusted and the center point indicated, from the fact that the pressure and motion vary in proportion to the contractile or compressive action of spiral or main springs. Hence no uniform equable mechanical action is possible. But by using an instrument having my improved pivot action valve none of the above enumerated difficulties and objections are presented, for using simply a common sewing needle as a spring in combination with my peculiar devices, to-gether with the manner of actuating the same, not the slightest difficulty is presented in performing with an instrument having my improvements attached, for all that is requisite when the spring breaks or wears out is simply to detach it and substitute another needle spring, a number of which may at all times be available.

I will now proceed to describe the construction and operation of my improved rotating pivot axis valve, as follows:

By reference to the diagram Fig. 2, a, a., is the ordinary cylindrical valve, with the wind escapes or air vents g, g, (similar ones on the opposite half of cylinder.)

b, Z9, c. are pointed pivot axes, either formed whole with the valve or made separate and attached in any suitable manner.

Such a valve is intended to be contained in the air or valve chamberl No. 2, Fig. l, which chamber is formed and attached horizontally and transversely across or at right angles to the pipe or tube of the instrument. Having the valve, Fig. 2, complete, with nicely pointed steel pivots, it is next itted into the chamber f, Figs. l, 2. A collar plate or air packing, like Fig. 3, is next formed with a rim r, r, to lit on to the end of the valve at s, s, Fig. 2. A cap disk piece, Fig. 4, is then made to fit onto and over Figs. 2 and 3. In the center of t-he cap, Fig. 4L, is screwed the pivot or axis screw adjusting socket rest CZ. Next is formed the opposite cap piece, e, valve 2, Fig. l. These devices being complete, they are adjusted to their proper places, and a tightening screw pivot rest, Fig. 5, Zt, is next formed. A yoke or lever support, 0, 0, 0, is then formed and attached in a permanent manner to the side of the valve or air chambers 2, 3. Through the bent part of the yoke 0, 0, 0, are formed holes or sockets, through which pass the adjusting and tightening screw rests, o, v, Fig. l, for the pivot or axis ends of the lever connecting rod 1 y, which has formed on it a little rest projection or spur p. Connected to or formed with this connecting rod is the finger pedal, or key plate my. Nextis formed the arm and elbow double jointed lever device, z', Z, j, Zz, 7c, Z, Z, the shank part Z, Z, attached permanently to the connecting rod 1, y. Through the y', j, part passes the pivot part Z1, and a washer or screw tap e, is attached if necessary to insure greater adjustability. At the 7c, 7c, part are spaces or openings, to admit of cork, india rubber, or other suitable damper cushions, which are designed to destroy the sound or striking in the working of the valves. rlhese dampers strike vagainst the reacting pin stops, t, &, at-

tached to the front cap e of valves 2, 3, Fig. l. Next is attached to the front cap of valve chamber 2, 3, an elbow rest a2, through the end of which passes the pivot adjusting screw ZL, Fig. 5. The mechanism being so far constructed, the actuating needle spring n, n, is next combined, passing through a hole in the yoke, 0, 0, 0, and the needles pointed end passing over and resting on the spur p, Fig. l. Thus the whole device is complete, and when the instrument is to be used and the particular valve to be brought into requisition to produce the desired note or tone all that is essential is to touch or press down the pedal or key plate m, and apply the amount of pressure in proportion to the required crescendo or diminuendo passages, and when a trill or shake is desired, the very slightest tremulous action of the performers finger will produce the effect desired. Thus the advantages of my improvements are obvious, and are greatly superior in every particular to the ordinary spiral or main spring, which last T have represented in valve l at g, q, g, Fig. l. At valve No. 3 I have simply shown how my improved valve acltion may be attached to the right side of the airchamber and in such cases can be operated by the top part of the proper finger.

Deeming it useless to extend the description and advantages of my improvements, I will simply state what I claim as new and original with myself, and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

I claim- Arranging the rotating valve a, a, Fig. 2, on a pivot axis Z), c, the extremities thereof pointed or arranged so as to work in the ends of an adjusting screw cZ, passing through an elbow support fr, x, attached to the cap e, Fig. Ll, of the air chamber, f, and the end b working in a tightening screw rest ZL, Fig. 5, the said valve axis b, Z), c, attached to a rotating double jointed lever device z', z', j, j, 7c, 7c, Z, Z, combined with the finger plate m, the said pivot axis rotating valve device being used in combination with a common sewing needle spring or its equivalent, passing through the yoke or lever rest 0, 0, 0, the end or point of the spring n, n, resting on the upper side of a projection or spur p, the whole claimed substantially as described and used as a combination, whereby a perfect trill or shake can be produced and the same modulated, so as to readily aiord the crescendo and decrescendo effect, which has never heretofore been accomplished in the valves of brass wind musical instruments.

I do not confine myself to any particular construction of lever, combined with the common needle spring or its equivalent, to produce the new and important effect as substantially described.

C. H. EISENBRANDT.

Witnesses EDWIN H. SMITH, W. C. WILL. 

